GPS navigation device

ABSTRACT

A navigation device for navigating a vehicle to a point comprises a GPS receiver for receiving GPS signals, a processor connected with the receiver for processing the GPS signals, navigation data created by the processor, and a display page. The navigation data includes ground speed, altitude, vertical speed and rate of turn information, and the display page presents this information in individual graphic, circular displays representative of an aircraft instrument panel.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application is a continuation and claims priority benefit ofan earlier-filed U.S. patent application entitled “GPS NAVIGATIONDEVICE”, Ser. No. 11/035,342, filed Jan. 13, 2005, which is acontinuation and claims priority benefit of an earlier-filed U.S. patentapplication entitled “GPS NAVIGATION DEVICE”, Ser. No. 10/397,638, filedMar. 26, 2003, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,865,453. The above-identifiedapplications are hereby incorporated by reference into the presentapplication.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a global positioning system (GPS)navigation device used for navigating a vehicle to a waypoint. Moreparticularly, the invention is directed toward a navigation device thatmay be used for navigating an aircraft while providing aircraftinstrument style displays.

Over past several decades, GPS based navigation devices have beenincreasingly used for navigation of vehicles along airways, waterwaysand roadways. This is as a result of the relative compactness,lightweight, reliability and accuracy of these devices compared totraditional navigational aids such as UHF and VHF receivers.

In the aviation industry, such prior art devices have been offered asfixed mounted units, commonly mounted in the panel of an aircraft. Otherprior art devices have been configured for portability, allowing a userto move the device from one aircraft to another without an expensiveinstallation. Such portable and fixed-mounted GPS navigation devicesgenerally offer various display page options, including moving-mapdisplays, and digital displays of navigation data. While these displaysconvey a great amount of information in a small amount of space, theyare vastly different in style and more difficult to read than themechanical aircraft instruments, such as altimeters and rate of climbindicators, that are common to aircraft, especially aircraft used totrain new pilots.

Mechanical aircraft instruments often provide a circular plate bearing acircumferential scale and an indicator, such as a needle, pivotallymounted at the center of the plate. One advantage that these olderinstruments, such as an altimeter, have when compared to newerelectronic instruments having digital readouts is that a pilot is ableto glance at the older instrument and quickly understand a flightcharacteristic. For example, clockwise movement of the needle, in analtimeter, would mean that the aircraft is climbing. Conversely,counter-clockwise movement of the needle indicates a descent. The speedof needle movement is also directly proportional to the rate of climb ordescent.

In the case of a digital readout of altitude, a pilot may perceive aclimb or descent by noticing that the readout is changing, but the pilotwould have to read and understand the digits displayed to determine ifthe aircraft was climbing or alternatively descending. Such an actiondiverts the pilot's attention away from other flight instruments and ismore time consuming when compared to noticing the clockwise orcounter-clockwise movement of a mechanical instrument. This may resultin a delay in initiating corrective action, for example, if the aircraftbegan a descent when level flight was desired.

While GPS navigation devices are not commonly used as a primaryinstrument to maintain a specified altitude, they are used in flyingalong a particular course to an intended destination. Mechanicalinstruments used for flying along a particular course include adirectional gyro (DG) and a horizontal situation indicator (HSI). A DGconveys heading information via a rotating disc bearing a compass roseand a fixed pointer or lubber line indicating on the disc the headingthat an aircraft is flying. An HSI integrates a DG with a combinedcourse and deviation indicator used to indicate the intended course anddeviation in degrees from the course. As with a mechanical altimeter, amechanical DG or HSI is relatively easier to read than its digitalcounterpart.

The prior art navigation devices do not address the need for providing adisplay option that presents navigation data in a mechanical aircraftinstrument style for relative ease in understanding certain flightcharacteristics, such as track, altitude, rate of turn and rate of climbor descent. In addition, the prior art does not address the need for anavigation device configured for use in various applications such asaviation, marine and automotive applications.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A navigation device for navigating a vehicle to a waypoint broadlycomprises a GPS receiver for receiving GPS signals, a memory, aprocessor connected with the receiver for processing the GPS signals,navigation data created by the processor, and a display page. Thenavigation data includes ground speed, altitude, vertical speed and rateof turn information, and the display page presents this information inindividual graphic, circular displays representative of an aircraftinstrument panel.

The ground speed display and the rate of turn display are positionedalong the left hand side of the display page with the ground speeddisplay placed above the rate of turn display. The altitude and rate ofclimb displays are positioned along the right hand side of the display.The altitude display is positioned above the rate of climb display.

The navigation data also includes track information corresponding tomovement of the device along a track. The track information is presentedin a graphic, circular display near the middle of the display page. As aresult, the display page resembles a standard aircraft instrument panel.

In an alternative form, the device is portable and may be placed in anair, water or land mode where the display page displays informationdirected toward aeronautical navigation, marine navigation or automotivenavigation, respectively. For example, in the air mode, a graphic,circular track display, as discussed above, is presented on the displaypage. Cartographic data stored in the memory of the device may also bedisplayed on the display page in the form of a moving aeronautical-typemap indicating progress toward the point.

The water mode includes the cartographic data displayed on the displaypage in the form of a nautical-type map, and a selected set of thenavigation data presented on the display page in individual digitaldisplays. Finally, in the land mode, the navigation data includesdirectional information. The directional information is presented on thedisplay page in a written form providing a user with written directionsin order to proceed along roadways to the point.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other features, advantages and objects will appear from thefollowing detailed description when considered in connection with theaccompanying drawings in which similar reference characters denotesimilar elements throughout the several views wherein:

FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of a GPS-based navigation deviceconstructed in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a circuitry block diagram of the device of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a front view of an instrument panel page of device in anaviation mode;

FIG. 4 is a front view of an instrument panel page of an alternativenavigation device in an aviation mode;

FIG. 5 is a front view of the display page of the device of FIG. 4 inthe marine mode; and

FIG. 6 is a front view of the display page of the device of FIG. 4 inthe land mode.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring now to FIG. 1, a preferred embodiment 10 of a GPS navigationdevice is shown for navigating a vehicle to a waypoint. The preferreddevice 10 broadly includes a portable housing 12, antenna 14, inputkeypad 16 and a liquid crystal display (LCD) screen 18. The screen 18 isgenerally rectangular. As shown in a circuitry block diagram in FIG. 2,the internal components of the device 10 include a GPS receiver 20 forreceiving GPS signals via the antenna 14, a memory 22 for storingcartographic data, and processor 24 connected with the receiver 20 forprocessing the GPS signals.

Navigation data is created by the processor for selective presentationon the display screen 18. The navigation data includes ground speed,altitude, rate of climb, rate of turn and track information. Throughmanipulation of the keypad 16, a user may select the format fordisplaying information on the screen 18. The instrument panel page 26shown in FIG. 3 is one such format. The panel page 26 presents theground speed, altitude, rate of climb and rate of turn information infour separate, graphic, circular displays 28, 30, 32 and 34,respectively. The panel page also presents the track information in acentrally positioned track display 35.

The ground speed display 28 is located in the upper left hand corner ofthe panel page 26 and includes a circumferential ground speed scale 36and a ground speed pointer 38. The pointer 38 indicates the ground speedof the device 10 as determined by the processor 24. In FIG. 3, theground speed of the device 10 is approximately 170 knots (nautical milesper hour). While the ground speed display 28 has the appearance of aconventional airspeed indicator, it is important to note that thedisplay 28 merely shows the speed of the device 10 over the groundrather than the airspeed. The airspeed of an aircraft determines theperformance characteristics of the aircraft whereas ground speed issimply airspeed corrected for wind currents.

The altitude display 30 has the appearance of a mechanical aircraftaltimeter and includes a circumferential altitude scale 40, a 100 footpointer 42 and a 1000 foot pointer 44. The altitude display 30 is readlike an altimeter, and is positioned in the upper right hand corner ofthe panel page 26, as is standard for an altimeter. In FIG. 3, thealtitude display 30 reads approximately 5,470 feet. It will beappreciated that the altitude indicated by the altitude display 30 isthe actual altitude of the device 10 above mean sea level, rather thanits pressure or density altitude, and thus is independent of pressure ortemperature considerations.

The rate of climb display 32 includes a circumferential climb scale 46located on the upper half of the display 32, and a circumferentialdescent scale 48 located on the lower half of the display 32. A pointer50 indicates the rate of climb or descent of the device 10, and,therefore, the craft in which the device 10 is used. The vertical speedof the device 10 indicated by the pointer 50 is determined by theprocessor 24 using the GPS signals received by the receiver 20, ratherthan sensing and intepreting changes in atmospheric pressure as in aconventional mechanical rate of climb indicator. The display 32 does,however, read like a conventional mechanical rate of climb indicator.The numbers on each of the scales 46, 48 are in hundreds of feet, i.e.500 feet, 1000 feet, 1,500 feet, etc. The display 32 is located in thelower right hand corner of the panel page 26.

A vertical speed bug may be shown on the display 32. The position of thevertical speed bug is determined by the processor 24 using the GPSsignals and represents the vertical speed of the device at its currentground speed required to reach a predetermined, user-selected distancefrom a waypoint at a predetermined, user-selected offset altitude, orheight, above the elevation of the waypoint. For example, the bug may bepositioned adjacent a 500 foot marking on the lower half of the display32 to indicate that the device 10 is required to descend at a rate ofapproximately 500 feet per minute in order to arrive at the desireddistance from the waypoint at the desired offset altitude. The distanceand offset altitude are entered using the keypad 16. The elevation ofwaypoints, such as airports, is stored in the memory 22 of the device10.

Many pilots desire to be at a certain height, such as one thousand feet,above an airport at a certain distance, such as five miles, from theairport prior to landing. This allows a pilot to properly slow anaircraft prior to entering the landing pattern at the airport withoutrapidly cooling its engine, which may lead to damaging the engine, oradditional maneuvering of the aircraft, which results in lengtheningflight time and added costs. This is typically referred to as a leveloff altitude.

It will be appreciated that the level off altitude is the elevation ofthe waypoint added to the offset altitude. By predetermining an offsetaltitude, rather than an actual level off altitude, a user is able topreplan a descent toward any of various waypoints, such as airports, ofvarying elevations. In the Kansas City area, for example, a 1,000 footoffset altitude may lead to an actual level off altitude ofapproximately 2,000 feet above sea level. However, in the Denver area, a1,000 foot offset altitude may lead to an actual level off altitude ofapproximately 6,200 feet above sea level. As a result, by enabling auser to predetermine the offset altitude, the device 10 simplifies theprocess of planning a descent into various waypoints since the actualaltitude of level off does not have to be calculated by the user foreach different waypoint.

The bug is thus useful in planning a descent. For example, in use whilein level flight the bug will command an increasing descent rate as thedevice 10 moves toward the waypoint. Once the bug is positioned at thedesired descent rate, such as 500 feet per minute, the user simplybegins a descent and increases the descent rate until the pointer 50overlays the bug. While changes in ground speed of the device 10 willaffect the position of the bug, by keeping the pointer 50 on top of thebug through altering the descent rate, the device 10 will arrive at thepredetermined distance from the waypoint at the desired offset altitude.

There are instances where a user may be required to ascend or descend inorder to pass a waypoint at a required actual altitude. The device 10may alternatively be configured using the keypad 16 to provide verticalnavigation resulting in passing a waypoint, or desired distance from thewaypoint, at a pre-selected actual altitude. In aviation, such“crossings” are often required in mountainous terrain and in areas ofheavy traffic. It will be appreciated that the bug is useful inproviding guidance so that the user is able to pass the waypoint orselected distance from the waypoint at the desired actual altitude.

The rate of turn display 34 is positioned on the lower left hand cornerof the panel page 26 and displays rate of turn information. The display34 includes a pivoting aircraft indicator 52, opposed right turn marks54, 56, and opposed left turn marks 58, 60.

When the device 10 is not turning, the indicator lines up with marks 62,64. As the device 10 begins to turn, the indicator 52 pivots in thedirection of the turn. In a right hand turn, for example, the indicator52 pivots based on the rate of turn toward the right turn marks 54, 56.As the rate of turn reaches 1800 per minute, the indicator 52 lines upwith marks 54, 56. Such a turn rate is referred to as a standard rateturn in the aviation community. The rate of turn is determined by theprocessor 24 and is based on a vector of acceleration of the device 10perpendicular to the track of the device 10. It will be appreciated thatthe rate of turn display 34 does not indicate the angle of bank of thedevice 10.

The track display 35 includes a circumferential compass scale 66 of 10through 3600 and a lubber line 68. The scale 66 rotates as the device 10turns so that the lubber line 68 overlays the track of the device 10. InFIG. 3, the track display 35 is shown in the form of an HSI, and thedevice 10 is indicated as moving along a track of approximately 30.

The track display 35 also includes a course indicator 70 and a deviationindicator 72. A linear deviation scale 74 is presented on the trackdisplay 35 and is used in conjunction with the deviation indicator 72 toindicate the deviation of the device 10, represented by a positionindicator 76, from the course. In this example, the course is shown tolie to the right of the device 10. A bug indicator 78 is configurableand is also provided on the track display 35 to indicate a tracksuggested by the processor 24 to be taken by the device 10 to return tothe course and arrive at the waypoint.

It will be appreciated that the displays 28, 30, 32, 34 and 35 providethe general appearance of an aircraft instrument panel, and are able toreadily disseminate useful navigation information to a user in arelatively easy to comprehend presentation. As a result, when using thedevice 10 for navigation, a user is able to gain additional navigationalknowledge of the movement of the device 10 and thus the aircraft, orother vehicle, in which it is used.

Several digital displays are also provided on the panel page 26 toprovide more detailed navigation data. A digital ground speed display 80is positioned adjacent to the ground speed display 28 and provides adigital readout of the ground speed of the device 10. A digital altitudedisplay 82 is positioned adjacent to the altitude display 30, providinga digital readout of the altitude of the device 10.

The waypoint to which the device 10 is being navigated is shown in awaypoint display 84. A digital distance display 86 indicates thedistance from the device 10 to the waypoint. In addition, a time display88 indicates the estimated time enroute to the waypoint from the presentposition of the device 10.

A vertical guidance indicator 90 is provided on the track display 35 togive the user vertical navigational guidance, such as when to begindescending to arrive at the waypoint at a designated altitude. Theindicator 90 reads like a conventional glide slope indicator. A TO/FROMpointer 92 indicates whether the device 10 is moving toward thewaypoint, as shown, or away from the waypoint.

In an alternative form, the device 10 includes selectable air, land andwater modes of operation and cartographic data stored in the memory 22.An air mode display page 94 is shown in FIG. 4. The display page 94includes a moving aviation map 96 depicting the area around the device10 including special use airspace such as prohibited, restricted andalert areas, and other information commonly found on aviation charts. Aposition pointer 98 indicates the present position of the device 10 andpoints along the present track of the device. A course line may also beincorporated to illustrate the intended course of travel of the device10 toward the waypoint.

A track display 102 is presented adjacent to the map 96 and includes acircumferential compass scale 104, a waypoint pointer 106 and a lubberline 108. The scale 104 rotates as the device 10 turns so that thelubber line 108 overlays the scale 104 to indicate the track of thedevice 10. The pointer 106 points along the scale 104 in the directionof the waypoint. While the track display 102 is similar in appearanceand use as a mechanical radio magnetic indicator (RMI), it will beappreciated that a DG or HSI style display, such as display 35 mayalternatively be used. A digital display 110 provides navigation datasuch as distance, ground speed, enroute time and actual timeinformation.

A water mode display page 112 is shown in FIG. 5. The display page 112includes a moving marine map 114 detailing the area around the device 10including soundings, hazards, land features and other informationcommonly found on marine charts. A position pointer 116 indicates thepresent position of the device 10 and points along the present track ofthe device 10. A course line 118 indicates the intended course of travelof the device 10 toward the waypoint. A digital display 120 providesnavigation data such as speed over ground, distance to the waypoint,bearing to the waypoint and present track.

In the land mode, the user may select the directions page 122 as shownin FIG. 6. The directions page 122 includes a column 124 of writtendirections 126 detailing the suggested course or method of proceedingtoward the waypoint. Also provided adjacent to each direction 126 is apointer 128 providing a visual indication of the direction of anyimpending turn.

A distance column 130 provides distance information representative ofthe distance along the course from the device 10 to the point ofimplementing the adjacent direction 126. A time column 132 provides theestimated time to travel along the course from the present position ofthe device 10 to the point of implementing the adjacent direction 126. Awaypoint information row 134 is provided detailing the name 136 of thewaypoint, the total travel distance 138 along the course to thewaypoint, and the total travel time 140 to the waypoint.

As a result, the directions page 122 enables a user to review writtendirections 126 describing how to travel to a waypoint while providingcontinuous updates on the distance and time until implementation of thenext direction 126. In addition, the page 122 disseminates graphicallyin the form of a pointer 128 the direction to turn for readily availablereference by the user, further reducing the workload of a user whilenavigating along unfamiliar roadways.

It will be appreciated that the device 10 in its alternative form isconfigured for use in aviation, marine and automotive applications. Forexample, a user may use the alternative device 10 for navigation in anaircraft to an airport, and then remove the device 10 from the aircraftand use the device 10 for navigation along unfamiliar roadways toanother destination. The same alternative device 10 may also be used formarine navigation. As a result, the relative costs to a user arereduced, and the convenience and utility are increased.

While the displays are shown in the English measurement system, anymeasurement system may be used, such as the metric system. In addition,while preferred embodiments and particular applications of thisinvention have been shown and described, it is apparent to those skilledin the art that many other modifications and applications of thisinvention are possible without departing from the inventive conceptsherein. It is, therefore, to be understood that, within the scope of theappended claims, this invention may be practiced otherwise than asspecifically described, and the invention is not to be restricted exceptin the spirit of the appended claims. Though some of the features of theinvention may be claimed in dependency, each feature has merit if usedindependently.

1. A navigation device for navigating a vehicle to a point, the devicecomprising: a GPS receiver for receiving GPS signals; a processorconnected with the receiver for processing the GPS signals; navigationdata created by the processor, the data including rate of turninformation; and a display page for displaying the navigation data, thedisplay page presenting the rate of turn information.
 2. The navigationdevice as set forth in claim 1, wherein the navigation device isportable.
 3. The navigation device as set forth in claim 1, wherein thedisplay page further presents individual digital displays of groundspeed and altitude information.
 4. The navigation device as set forth Inclaim 1, wherein the navigation data includes distance informationcorresponding to the distance between the device and the point, and thedisplay page further presents the distance information.
 5. Thenavigation device as set forth in claim 1, wherein the navigation datafurther includes track information corresponding to movement of thedevice along a track, and the rate of turn information is based on avector of acceleration of the device perpendicular to the track.
 6. Thenavigation device as set forth in claim 1, wherein the navigation dataIncludes track and course information and the display page presents thetrack information in a graphic, circular track display including acompass rose depiction, and presents the course information in anintegrated course line and course deviation indicator.
 7. The navigationdevice as set forth in claim 6, the device and the point defining aroute, the track display including a pointer positioned on the compassrose depiction representing the mute.
 8. The navigation device as setforth in claim 6, wherein navigation data includes vertical navigationinformation and the display page presents the vertical navigationinformation on the track display.
 9. The navigation device as set forthin claim 1, wherein the navigation data includes track and courseinformation and the display page presents the track information in agraphic, ar-shaped track display including a portion of a compass rose,and presents the course information in an integrated course line andcourse deviation indicator.
 10. A navigation device for navigating avehicle to a point, the device comprising: a GPS receiver for receivingGPS signals; a processor connected with the receiver for processing theGPS signals; navigation data created by the processor using the GPSsignals, the data including rate of turn information and vertical speedinformation; and a display page for displaying the navigation data, thedisplay page presenting the rate of turn information and vertical speedinformation.
 11. The navigation device as set forth in claim 10, whereinthe navigation data includes vertical navigation informationrepresentative of a vertical speed required to arrive at the point at apredetermined height above the point, and the display page presents thevertical navigation information on the vertical speed display.
 12. Thenavigation device as set forth in claim 10, wherein the navigation dataincludes vertical navigation information representative of a verticalspeed required to arrive at the point at a predetermined attitude, andthe display page presents the vertical navigation information on thevertical speed display.
 13. The navigation device as set forth in claim10, wherein navigation device is portable.
 14. The navigation device asset forth in claim 10, wherein the navigation data further includesground speed and altitude information.
 15. The navigation device as setforth in claim 14, wherein the ground speed and altitude information arepresented on the display page.
 16. The navigation device as set forth inclaim 14, wherein the ground speed and altitude information arepresented on the display page in individual graphic ground speed andaltitude displays.
 17. The navigation device as set forth in claim 10,wherein the navigation data further includes track informationcorresponding to movement of the device along a track, and the rate ofturn information is based on a vector of acceleration of the deviceperpendicular to the track.
 18. The navigation device as set forth inclaim 10, wherein the navigation data includes track and courseinformation and the display page presents the track information in agraphic, circular track display including a compass rose depiction, andpresents the course information in an integrated course line and coursedeviation indicator.
 19. The navigation device as set fort in claim 10,wherein the rate of turn information is based on a vector ofacceleration of the navigation device perpendicular to a track of thenavigation device.
 20. The navigation device as set forth in claim 10,wherein the rate of turn information is displayed with a pivotingaircraft indicator, opposed right turn marks, and opposed left turnmarks.